Ingston



(No Model.)

A. W. LIVINGSTON.

CAN.

No. 588,800. Patented Aug. 24,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

ANDREW WILLIAM LIVINGSTON, or am Josn, CALIFORNIA.

CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,800, dated August 24, 1897.

l I Application filed December 21, 1896. Serial No. 616,506. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconc ern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW IV LIAM LIV- INGSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jos, county of Santa Clara, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Cans; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. 7

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of hermetically sealing containing vessels.

It consists of certain details of construction wherebyIam enabled to employa sheet-metal can having a side seam and to so close said seam as to make a practically continuous and smooth surface against which a flexible elastic gasket may be compressed when the cover is applied to form a hermetically-closed joint without danger of leakage at said seam,and to provide a cover fitting said containing vessel and so constructed that it serves for a removable closing-cover after the seal is broken and the vessel opened.

It also consists in details of construction which will be more fullyv explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the cover removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cover and spring-band in place.

In the construction of hermetically-closing containing vessels in which a flexible or elastic gasket is employed to form the joint various devices have been employed, but it has hitherto not been possible to employ metal cans having the usual side seam because this scam has always presented a channel or depression between the meeting edges of the tin which was sufficient for the passage of air and which would prevent the maintenance of a perfect hermetical joint at this point. It has therefore been necessary to make such containing vessels with a smooth unjointed surface, such as glass.

My invention consists in such a formation of a metal can that the side seam of said can can be so closed as" to form a continuous smooth surface for the support of the flexible or elastic gasket and the combination therewith of a' suitably-constructed closing-cover.

Ais the body of the can, which may be made 5 of any diameter and length, and is here shown in its preferable form of a cylinder.

In order to provide the proper bevel surface forthe support of a flexible gasket and to form a joint, I employ a suitably-formed die. by

which the top of the can is bent over into an inwardly-turned curve having a beveled or inclined surface, as shown at B.

' The seam of the can may be either formed inwhat is known as double or single eled part B being drawn or swaged out suficiently to contain the amount of metal which is in the folds of the seam. It will be possible also to fill this seam with solder or other soft metal, if desired but I have found my method to be suliicient for the purpose.

The cover 0 is preferably formed with an upwardly-convex outer surface;-a flange c,

v hich is adapted to slip inside of the beveled turn d-over edge B of the can,rand an exteriordo vardly-projectingcylindricalflange 0 which when the cover rests upon the can without an i tervening gasket will extend a little ways d wn the outside. The inner and outer flanges c and .0 thus clasp the top edge of the can and lprm a suitable cover to prevent anything f \om falling into the can after it has once been opened and also to keep the cover in place thereon.

'When the can is to be sealed, I employ an elastic or flexible gasket D, which may be made of any suitable or desired material, such as rubber or specially-treated paper or other material which will serve for this purpose. In the present case I have shown this gasket as being essentially cylindrical in cross-section, and it is preferably maintained in place upon the inner flange c of the cover by means of a shallow concave groove made around this flange near the bottom. The can having been filled, the cover is placed upon it so that the gasket lying in its groove rests with its outer face upon the inwardly-inclined surface B of the can;

In order to retain the cover in place while the contents are being heated or cooked and the air expelled, I have shown an elastic clamp E, which extends over the top of the can, its central portion being concaved so that it presses upon the convex top of the cancover. At the sides it is bent downward, and inwardly.- curved lugs are formed, as shown at E, and these engage with depressions F, which are formed in the opposite sides of the can. This clamp serves to hold the cover in place, but withso light a pressure that the steam and air can be easily expelled by the heat which is applied to the can. As soon as the can is removed and allowed to cool the atmospheric pressure upon the outside of the cover forces it down, the inclined turned-over surface 13 of the cantop causing the elastic gasket to roll up along the flange c and to be compressed between these two adjacent surfaces, so as to form a hermetically sealed joint, which is maintained by the atmospheric pressure upon the can-cover. If the continued pressure upon the can-cover gradually forces it down and compresses the gasket still more, there is sufficient space between the top of the can and the upward curve of the cover, which lies between the flanges 0 0 to prevent any metallic contact which would possibly in time allow air to pass into the can. As it is, the construction as shown will prevent this metallic contact and will make a tighter joint with the gasket by increased pressure.

Vhenever the can is to be opened, it is only necessary to perforate the top sufficiently to allow air to enter, when the cover can be easily removed. The gasket may then be taken off,

and the cover is in condition to be used for ordinarily closing the can to preserve its contents. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A containing can or vessel having an upper edge turned over inwardly to form an inclined or beveled surface around the top 111- tegral with the body portion, and a cover having a corresponding flange facing the firstnamed one, said cover having a flanged upper portion adapted to overhang and extend down on the outside of the folded edge of the can or vessel whereby the cover is supported on said folded edge and the entrance to the space between the inclined or beveled flanges is closed, and having an outwardly-projecting flange around its inner portion adapted to maintain a gasket in place'between the upper and lower flanged portions.

2. A containing-can having the upperintegral edge swaged or turned over inwardly to form a continuous beveled inner surface around the top, in combination with a cover having a corresponding flan ge facing said surface and upper and lower peripheral flanges and a gasket movably fitting between the two surfaces and maintained in place between said upper and lower flanges and adapted to form a hermetically-sealed joint.

3. A containing can having depressions made in opposite sides, a surface formed upon its upper edge, a cover having a correspond in g opposing surface, upper and lower peripheral flanges, a gasket adapted to be compressed between said surfaces to form an air-tight joint and to be maintained in place between the said upper and lower flanges, an elastic clamp adapted to press upon the cover to retain the surfaces in contact, said clamp having a concaved central portion to press upon the cover and having theopposite ends extending down upon opposite sides of the can and provided with inwardly-projecting lugs for engaging the side depressions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand,

ANDREW WILLIAM LIVINGSTON.

IVitnesses:

K. H. PLATE, E. T. STERLING. 

